Monday, August 15, 2011

ScienceDaily: Biotechnology News

ScienceDaily: Biotechnology News


Salmonella stays deadly with a 'beta' version of cell behavior

Posted: 14 Aug 2011 11:14 AM PDT

Salmonella cells have hijacked the protein-building process to maintain their ability to cause illness, new research suggests. Scientists say that these bacteria have modified what has long been considered typical cell behavior by using a beta form of an amino acid -- as opposed to an alpha form -- during the act of making proteins.

How butterflies copy their neighbors to fool birds

Posted: 14 Aug 2011 11:14 AM PDT

The mystery of how a butterfly changes its wing patterns to mimic neighboring species and avoid being eaten by birds has been solved. Scientists located and sequenced the chromosomal region responsible for the wing patterns in an Amazonian butterfly. They found that three versions of the same chromosome coexist in this species, each version controlling distinct wing-pattern forms. This has resulted in butterflies that look completely different from one another, despite having the same DNA.

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